A bipartisan group of 24 lawmakers is advocating for the Biden administration to continue telehealth prescribing flexibilities for buprenorphine, a treatment for opioid use disorder, as these measures are set to expire at the end of the year. The representatives argue that allowing telehealth prescriptions without in-person visits has improved access to treatment and helped reduce overdose rates. They also express concerns that the DEA may introduce stricter regulations that could hinder access just as overdose deaths begin to decline. Click here for article.
Bipartisan Advocacy: A coalition of 24 lawmakers is pushing to extend telehealth prescribing flexibilities for buprenorphine, emphasizing its role in increasing treatment access and reducing overdose deaths.
Impending Expiration: The current telehealth flexibilities are scheduled to end at the year’s close, raising concerns about potential stricter DEA regulations.
Concerns Over Restrictions: Lawmakers fear that new DEA rules could impose burdensome in-person visit requirements and special provider registrations, limiting access to treatment.
Importance of Buprenorphine: The representatives argue for a more permissive approach to buprenorphine, highlighting its lower potential for misuse and the urgent need to combat the opioid overdose crisis, which claimed over 81,000 lives in 2023.
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